Aggression- A2 Psychology

Aggression- A2 Psychology

1. Social Psychological Theory of aggression

   • Social Learning Theory
     • Albert Bandura believed that classical conditioning (Pavlov) and operant conditioning (Skinner) ignore the inner person and thus these two forms of learning along cannoter explain behavior.
     • Albert Bandura added that we learn by OBSERVING OTHERS (SOCIAL LEARNING) and VICARIOUS LEARNING, not just through DIRECT learning.
       • Vicarious Learning: Observational Learning
         • Bandura believed that vicarious learning is the most probable cause for aggression
           • Direct learning: for example if a child pushes another child and as a result gets what they want, the action is therefore reinforced and that similar behaviour is more likely to be replicated in a similar situation.
         • When a child observes a role model behaving in such a way, the child is then said to try and imitate the behavior of that of the role model.
           • If the aggressive behavior is rewarded, the more likely the person is to imitate that certain behaviour

2. Evolutionary Theory of aggression

   • Infidelity and Jealousy
     • Buss (1988) argues that males have developed strategies for mate retention. These include direct guarding (restricting her movements) of the female and negative inducements to prevent her straying.
       • Shackleton et al (2005) also showed a link between mate retention, jealousy and violence. They surveyed 461 men and 560 women in relationships. The men answered questions about their use of mate retention techniques, and the women were asked how violent their male partners were in those mate retention techniques. There was a positive correlation found between men who used mate retention techniques of direct guarding and negative inducements and their use of violence..
     • Evolutionary psychologists argue that reproductive challenges faced by our ancestors can explain the aggressive behaviour seen in people today. A man can never be certain that he is the father of his wife’s children unless he prevents her having relationships with other men. This can explain why male sexual jealousy is often cited as a cause of domestic violence. In many countries it is seen as acceptable to murder an adulterous wife or her lover, e.g. among the Nuer people of East Africa, a man who commits adultery is likely to be killed by his lover’s husband, and only 35 years ago in the USA a man who killed his wife’s lover while in the act would have a legal excuse for murder and be unpunished.

3. Biological Theory of aggression

   • Neural Mechanisms
     • Low levels of serotonin means that aggressive people tend to respond more rashly and harshly to emotional stimuli e.g. a derogatory
     • Dopamine is produced in response to rewarding stimuli such as sex or drugs. It is thought that some individuals may actively seek out aggressive encounters because of the rewarding sensation.
   • Hormonal Mechanisms
     • Cortisol
       • Second hormone involved in increase of aggression.
         • Cortisol is an important part of the body's response to stress and encourages social withdrawal
           • Cortisol is perceived to have a mediating effect on aggression
           • Without Cortisol, testosterone levels are not stabilized: Therefore cortisol and testosterone are negatively correlated
             • For example, there have been low cortisol level is habitually violent offenders. (Virkken, 1985)
     • Testosterone
       • Considered most important factor in aggressive behaviour
         • Testosterone has this effect due to its actions on the areas of the frontal lobe in the brain, which are responsible for aggression
           • Lindman et al (1987)- found that males who behaved aggressively when drunk had higher levels of testosterone than who did not act aggressively
   • Genetics
     • Aggressive people have a faulty gene responsible for producing MAOA.
       • MAOA regulates the metabolism of SEROTININ in the brain
         • Low levels of serotonin lead to impulsive and aggressive behaviour
           • Miley and Carey (1997)- Meta-analysis of 24 twin and adoption studies
             • Findings suggested genetics are responsible for 50% of the variance in aggression.